A practitioner's library on what the IRS, USPAP, and the Tax Court actually require from a memorabilia appraisal.
The audit math from the Prince, Jackson, Houston and Williams estates. Pub 561 thresholds, the "facts known or knowable" doctrine, and a seven-point checklist for any appraisal report attached to a Form 706.
The technical baseline. What the IRS requires, what USPAP enforces, and what the credentials behind a defensible appraisal actually mean.
The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, the federally recognised standard every defensible valuation conforms to. Why it matters for memorabilia.
Read the standard →The four legal requirements an appraiser must meet under IRC 170(f)(11) and Treas. Reg. 1.170A-17. Why an auction-house estimate is not an appraisal.
See the requirements →The Appraisers Association of America Certified Member designation. Why it is the most rigorous credential in the industry, and what it signals to the IRS.
Read more →The forms, thresholds, and procedures every executor and donor encounters. What to file, when, and how to keep the IRS from challenging the value.
How memorabilia is valued for federal estate tax purposes. Date-of-death valuation, alternate valuation under 2032, and the documentation an executor needs.
Read the guide →The non-cash charitable contribution form. Thresholds, signatures, qualified appraiser declaration, and the most common reasons donations get disallowed.
Read the guide →The gift-of-art process from start to finish. How to structure a donation that protects the deduction and meets the receiving institution's standards.
Read the guide →The practical questions: what to ask, how to compare options, and what the difference between an estimate and an appraisal actually means in legal practice.
Why the number an auction house quotes you is not an appraisal, and why the IRS will not accept it. The structural conflict explained.
Read the comparison →Common questions on cost, turnaround, scope, and the engagement process. The answers Helen gives most often before a formal scope conversation.
Read the FAQ →Every guide here is written by Helen Hall, AAA Certified Member and former Vice President at Christie's, where she was responsible for entertainment memorabilia at the international auction level for a decade. The standards covered are the ones DIG Appraisals operates to. The case law referenced is the case law that governs every Form 706 and Form 8283 we sign.
If you are administering an estate, structuring a donation, or insuring a collection, these are the questions worth answering before the engagement starts. If you have a specific situation that isn't covered here, ask.